Compound spring



R. B. SIMNING CNIPQUND` SPRING 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March '7, 1931- [Iy VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

@QL E5, 935. R, B. SIMNING '2,017,221

COMEOUND SPRING Original Filed March 7, 1951 5 She`ets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS.

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Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PAT-ENT OFFICE COMPOUND SPRING Roy B. Simning, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Motor Car Carriers, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan 4 Claims.

This invention relates to running gear for vehicles and has special reference to what is known as a pivoting dual rear axle assembly, particularly designed for the support of the rearmost portion of a vehicle, such as a trailer or the like.

The principal object of the invention is to produce a more practical, efficient, and durable device of this character than heretofore known.

Another object is to provide a trailer and rear axle assembly which will permit of double deck loading in States where the law does not limit the height of such vehicles less than twelve feet six inches.

In some States the law prohibits the use of a vehicle, such as a trailer or the like, from exceeding ninety-six inches in overall width, and for the trailer to carry the average automobile, it must have a clear space of seventy-live inches between the wheels and at a' point seven inches above the lower level of the track upon which the automobile stands. To carry the weight of the trailer and its load, were a single axle used, a tire of not less than twelve inches in diameter would be required on each wheel, whichwould preclude any possibility of a seVenty-iive inch clearance between the tires, but by using a four wheeled or dual rear axle, a tire of eight inch diameter-on each wheel would properly carry the load and allow the seventy-ve inch clearance, provided the axle construction itself does not interfere. It is therefore another object of the invention to .provide a pivoting `dual rear axle assembly having a clearance of at least seventyve inches in overall width and yet permit of sufcient tire capacity to carry the weight.

Still another object is to provide a novel assembly of dual spring requiring the minimum lateral dimension and one functioning as a stabilizing element in connection with the drop axle assembly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, which represent one embodiment of the invention as applied to an open fabricated highway trailer such as used in the transportation of automobiles:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of the dual axle assemblies as applied to the trailer with the wheels removed and showing one of the hangers in section:

Figure 2` is a top plan View of Figure l showing the dual axle wheels in position:

Figure 3 is an enlarged end elevation of one of the drop axle hangers: and

Figure 4 is a broken vertical central section through one of the auxiliary supporting axles.

The vehicle herein illustrated is of the open frame-like fabricated structure comprising two principal supporting longitudinally disposed Y5 beams i, which are preferably of standard channel, the uprights, transverse members, and bracing'members being directly or indirectly attached thereto, but the specific arrangement of which vforms no part of my present invention.

The channels l however are each disposed substantially directly above the innermost load carrying wheels of the vehicle as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. These channels are -spaced above the wheels so as to 15 give suicient clearance in allowing for spring action and oscillation of the dual axle assembly and are each provided vwith a depending plate bracket indicated at 2, disposed centrally between the wheels as viewed from the side thereof, and 20 the upper edge of which is preferably made to overlap the back of its respective channels. Eachbracket is provided with a reinforcement about the marginal edge thereof consisting of a narrow plate 3 welded thereto and extending 25 wholly about same beneath the channel l, thus forming a flange-like projection upon either side thereof and which plate extends below and around `the hub 4 upon the auxiliary supporting axle 5. It will be noted that lthis assembly is 30 novel in that it is designed for the support of a vehicle used for carrying other smaller vehicles, or automobiles, thus requiring the maximum clearance intermediate the pairs of traction wheels, necessitating the removal of the central 35 portion of the auxiliary supporting or pivot axle, so that, as before stated, it is composed of two separate shortv pivot axles one upon either side. As one of the objects of the present invention is to maintain the wheel gauge of the carrying 40 vehicle as nearly as possible to the standard gauge of the vehicles being carried, the hub-like support 6 for the inner end of the auxiliary supporting or pivot axle 5 is accomplished by lthe utilization of the runway channel 1 for the ve- 45 hicle being carried which passes a spaced distance beneath the auxiliary axle 5, but at the junction therewith is provided with the double inclined iiller plate 8 forming a runway over the hub 6, and this latter is provided with a depending web 9 beneath the inclined runway 8 for adding strength to the assembly, which is preferably united as by welding. Two spaced transverse angle bars l0 are installed beneath the channels 1 upon either side of the vehicle, rmly 55 tieing same together upon either side of the auxiliary supporting axle, these angles preferably occurring just beneath the juncture of each inclined wall of the member 8 with the bottom of the channel.

Intermediate the. hubs 4 andY 6 of v each. auX- iliary axle is installed the spring pivot block II, beneath each one of which is installed the pair of multi-leaf springs I2 and I3, they being held.. tightly against the under side of the block by thel two pairs of bolts I4, as is usual in such installations. It will be noted that the springs I2 and I 3 are in the nature of a composite spring, or two springs in one, which will permit a narrow spring to be used and yet provide sufficient strength to support the load and at the same time act as radius rods to hold the offset hangersin their proper position vertically. Furthermore the springs are suspended at a point below'the level of the hubs of the wheels in such a manner as to permit the pivot axleto be located under the point required for clearance of theV running boards of the vehicles carried, and, while thus providing the necessary pivotal connection for the springs insures eachrhanger against abnormal rocking motion longitudinally of the vehicle, and the drop axle, wheel axle, and spring connectionsjbeing in the single hanger member, insures proper relation of the parts at all times. The ends 4of each pair of springs are pivotally mounted as at I5 intermediate therside Walls of a drop axle hangergathere being one foi each load carrying wheel of the vehicle. These hangers are peculiar in their construction in that they arermaterially offset, that is to say, the lowermost end extends inwardly towards the center of the vehicle from a medial vertical line through the hanger, while the uppermost portion extends outwardly of said medial line.` This staggered or offset relation of the two extremities of the hanger is for the purpose of providing sufficient clearance during theY oscillation of the assembly while in use. Each hanger comprises an uppermost hub portion I6 having spaced flanges I'I and I8 at the opposite ends thereof, and a lower hub portion I9 with flange-like extensions 20 and 2| upon either end thereof. Intermediate these hub portions and the flanged side members is formed integrally therewith the reinforced centrally disposed web 22.

Within the uppermost hub I6 is installed in any desired manner -the stub wheel spindle or axle 23, while within the hub I9 of the hanger is installed the'end of the drop axle rod or shaft 24 which extends transverse beneath the vehicle and its opposite end similarly fixed to the com panion hanger on the opposite side of `the vehicle resulting in there being apair, one at the forward end and the other at the after end of each dual axle assembly.

At 25 are illustrated two angle bars placed back to back and extending downwardly to the hub 5 and just above which carry between them the corner or gusset plate Z for reinforcement; these angle'bars being part of the upright support for the superstructure of the vehicle. As Vfurther strengthening means for the depending bracket 2 I have shown two of the bracing angles 2'I as terminating from opposite directions at the angle bars approximately centrally of the bracket 2.

At 28 in Figure 3 of the drawings is illustrated the relative position of the wheels of a large automobile being carried over the pivotal connection 5 5V of the carryingv vehicle frameV to the dual axle assembly and at 29 is shown the position of the running boar-d of such carried vehicle, While in dotted lines at 3B is represented the relative position of the dual axle assembly wheels. l0

From the foregoing it is evident that I have devised a novel form of dual drop axle assembly for vehicles,.giving the greatest amount of clearance intermediate the wheels and yet in no way detracting from the practical operation of same; in 15 fact the drop axle feature being underslung in conjunction with the offset hangers gives freedom to the independent action of the wheels not found inthe ordinary dual axle assembly.

Having thus described my invention, what 120 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A compound spring for dual drop axle assemblies Vofthe character described including spaced wheel-spindles, hangers depending from said spindles, cross rods supported in the lower ends of 25 said hangers, two groups of graduated leaf spring members rigidly held together in abutting relation centrally, said compound spring being pivotally united centrally to load supporting means, each pair of adjacent termini of said spring groups 30i being pivotally fixed within one of said hangers.

2. A compound vehicle spring for dual drop axle assemblies comprising a pair of similarly shaped groups of spring leaves, means whereby a both groups and all of the leaves are abuttingly 35 united intermediate the ends thereof, means for pivotally supporting said Ycompound spring centrally, a wheel spindle at each end of the spring, and unitary means depending from each spindle', uniting the groups below the spindle, an-d holding 40 them against independent longitudinal movement.

3. Af compound spring for dual drop axle assemblies comprising spaced resilient members normally parallel with each other and having spaced termini at each end thereof, means for rigidly holding and pivotally supporting the members in non-spaced relation centrally, a wheel spindle at each end of the spring. and single rigid means depending from the wheel spindle at each end of the spring for pivotally connecting a pair of spaced termini thereof to prevent independent longitudinal movement, and means in the lower portion of each hanger for attachment of a cross rod of a drop axle.

4. A compound spring for dual drop axle assemblies of the character described including wheel spindles, hangers depending from the wheel spindles, a transverse cross rod supported in the lower end of each hanger, two groups of graduated leaf spring members rigidly held together in abutting relation centrally and in spaced relation at their termini, and means for pivotally supporting the adjacent termini of both groups of spring members within a hanger below the spindle 65 to prevent in-dependent longitudinal movement of said groups.

ROY B. SIMNING.

CERTIFECATE 0F CRRECTIUN.

Patent No. 2,017,221. @ctober i5, 1935.

RGY B. SEMNNG.

it is iiereiiy certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction as ioilows: In the grant, line 3, the name oi the assignee was erroneously described aofi specified es "Motor Carriers, inc." whereas said patent should have been to Motof Cnr Carrieifs inc., of Detroit, Michigan, a corporation oi Michigan;

sert Motor Cai' Carriers, inc.. its successors or assigns; :and :hat the said Letters Patent should he reed with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record ot the case in the Patent Oifiee.

Signed and sealed this 10th day oi Decemiaer, A. D. 1935.

issued strike out oresent iine i4, end in Lesi ie Frazer {Seal} icting Commissioner oi Patents. 

